Chapter 321: Fortune and Misfortune Intertwined

The ice and snow on Mount Kunlun melted, and old trees sprouted, full of vitality.

However, the kings' hearts were filled with gloom, and they were all downcast.

The group was extremely weak, their bodies completely drained of energy, and their cultivation realms had fallen.

This was a major event; if any signs were discovered, Kunlun would surely be destroyed. Dozens of king-level beings had nearly become ordinary birds and beasts; the impact was too great.

Upon returning to Kunlun, the old Lama contacted the Golden-Winged Great Peng King. The Peng King had originated from Kunlun years ago, later becoming a sect leader on Mount Hua. Now, it was invited back to preside over Kunlun.

"The losses are devastating," the Mastiff King chuckled bitterly.

As global evolution progressed and various regions prospered, new super-kings continuously emerged. Only Mount Kunlun was shrouded in gloom and misery, directly declining from being a top-tier major power.

The old Black Bear sighed, contacting his grandson Xiong Kun and warning him to remain low-key outside and avoid trouble.

The kings felt dejected. In the past, Kunlun had looked down upon the world, surveying heroes from all directions. But now, they could only hide cautiously and carefully in the mountains, licking their wounds, watching as masters rose in other regions.

There are no impenetrable walls in the world. Because Mount Kunlun became too low-key, with a group of king-level beings disappearing after their return, laying low in the mountains.

The outside world was in an uproar. "Is Kunlun weakened?"

"It is rumored that those great demons suffered immense losses in the Himalayas, possibly losing their combat power. Kunlun might decline as a result!"

This news was astonishing; at first, people found it hard to believe. However, as time passed, various signs indicated that something significant had truly happened to Kunlun!

For a time, the world was shaken, and all eyes were on Kunlun.

At this moment, Chu Feng frowned. After touching the special stone-skin scripture cylinder, the black and white substances transformed wildly, eventually forming a balance within his body, with black and that silver substances coexisting.

In the past, it was either purely black or purely white; now, it was different.

Simultaneously, the energy within his body was completely drained, not a trace remaining. Most terrifyingly, there had been no progress for days, and he couldn't recover, nor could he grow stronger day by day like the other great demons of Kunlun.

Chu Feng's joy from obtaining the Great Thunderclap Breathing Technique was diminished. He grew somewhat silent, as his current situation was extremely dire.

The Yellow Ox diagnosed him, its small face taut and its expression unusually grave. It said, "This matter is too bizarre; I truly didn't expect it."

"Look for yourself," it continued. "The black and white substances are opposed yet intertwined, moving slowly, very much like grinding stones turning."

Chu Feng was deeply surprised. Just as the Yellow Ox said, the black and white substances had begun to coexist and indeed resembled grinding stones. It was precisely because of this that the energy within his body was being ground away.

The black and white grinding stones crushed and pressed, causing any energy that entered his body to disperse, unable to be retained.

"This might be a great opportunity!"

After its initial worry, the Yellow Ox became excited again. It told Chu Feng that this was a form of tempering, and possessing such a thing at his current realm was astonishing.

Chu Feng felt a bit helpless. He would rather not have this opportunity; he was now crippled, with no signs of recovery.

"Come look inside my body," the Yellow Ox said.

It was very cautious and secretive, observing the area around the mountaintop, before hurrying back to the Ox King Palace to show Chu Feng its secret.

Inside the Yellow Ox's body was a mysterious substance, resembling a mortar for pounding medicine, as if cast from brass, yet it wasn't. It was very mysterious and hidden within its body.

If it hadn't shown it itself, outsiders would never have discovered it.

"This is my opportunity," it explained, "but I can't use it yet because I'm still too young. Tempering my body's 'great medicine' now would lead to a loss of vital energy."

The Yellow Ox revealed its secret to him; this was what it would rely on in the future. According to it, this was another supreme fortune obtained when it acquired a mysterious breathing technique.

"What is this thing?" Chu Feng asked, puzzled.

"It was left by ancient sages," it replied. "In the future, it can help me temper the energy within my body, cleanse my physical form, purify my tendons and bones. It will always have various benefits, such as removing impurities."

The Yellow Ox told him that such things were usually left by powerful beings of Bodhisattva-level or higher for their descendants, to help purify their bloodlines and temper their internal energy.

The golden pestle in the mortar could squeeze out mottled energy impurities, tempering one's own 'body's great medicine' and so on.

"In the past, your best option was to evolve using pollen, but I could eat exotic fruits without worrying about future hidden dangers. That's because I have this thing inside my body; it helps me purify," the Yellow Ox revealed its secret.

According to it, the golden mortar was a peculiar entity existing between energy and matter. If intentionally hidden, outsiders could not perceive its presence within its body.

"Only in worlds with profound origins, within the saint children of top-tier orthodoxies, would such an artifact exist. This is because sects that haven't produced Bodhisattva-level experts cannot leave behind such opportunities."

Chu Feng was surprised. "Such a thing exists?"

Afterwards, the Yellow Ox also mentioned the black substance. It was actually also used for tempering internal energy and refining 'bloodline great medicine,' among other things. Its effects were similar, but only demon saints could leave it for their descendants.

However, generally speaking, the black substance required one to reach a very high level to utilize it; it was too overbearing.

For low-level beings, it was a deadly poison, but for God-Knights and Golden Arhat-level evolvers, it was a coveted treasure.

Chu Feng's physical body was not further corrupted. It was already a miracle that he had only become an ordinary person.

"Therefore, the changes within your body are very strange," the Yellow Ox sighed. "The black substance turning into silver-white is rare throughout history, with few examples, and is usually only legendary in the strongest ten star worlds. Most crucially, now both black and white substances have appeared and can coexist, and they've also transformed into a grinding-stone-like artifact, which is even more bizarre."

Chu Feng was lost in thought. Whether it was a single black substance or the strange artifact left by Bodhisattva-level evolvers for their descendants, the effects were the same. And now, what was inside his body seemed to combine both.

"Can I recover my strength?" Finally, Chu Feng asked the most crucial question. Everything else was secondary; only re-entering the king-level realm was truly important.

"I don't know," the Yellow Ox replied. "The black and white substances inside you are still rotating, looking more and more like grinding stones. If they fully form, you might just recover."

At the same time, the Yellow Ox also mentioned another possibility.

"If the artifact isn't perfect, various problems might arise, and perhaps you really will only be an ordinary person."

This made Chu Feng frown. To become an evolver and then revert to an ordinary person would be a huge downgrade.

"How long will it take to know for sure?" Chu Feng asked.

"I think ten days should be enough," the Yellow Ox said. It comforted Chu Feng, saying that this might be a significant opportunity, providing a chance for him to become a saint or an ancestor in the future.

Two days later, the kings of Mount Kunlun decided to disperse their forces. The Shu Mountain Sword Palace, Kongtong, Mount Hua, and other places became the temporary hiding spots for Kunlun's great demons. They were worried that staying in Kunlun would mean being wiped out entirely, as one Peng King alone could not guarantee the safety of so many kings.

There are no impenetrable walls. The outside world had already guessed that something had happened to the Kunlun kings, and they might now have lost their combat power!

When the secret was revealed, it meant Kunlun's most dangerous moment had arrived.

The kings were decisive. They separated and went to various places.

The old grandmaster from Wudang Mountain arrived, personally taking Chu Feng away to ensure his safety. The Yellow Ox went to the Shu Mountain Sword Palace; it wanted to study the sword mastery there. The Great Black Ox, Northeast Tiger, and others also followed it.

"We won't go to Wudang Mountain," they said. "That ancient training ground naturally suppresses demons."

Before parting, Chu Feng secretly passed the Great Thunderclap Breathing Technique to the Yellow Ox, asking it to find a suitable time to teach it to the Great Black Ox.

Overnight, Kunlun's great demons scattered, shocking the world.

Everyone was inquiring about the news. When it was finally learned that all of Kunlun's demon kings had fallen in realm, and that even Chu Feng had been crippled in the ancient temple in the Himalayas, the world erupted in excitement.

Some sighed, feeling it was too sudden, and pitied them.

Many felt regret. Kunlun was an important force in the East; would their decline make the sea race reckless and aggressive once more?

"How could this be? The Kunlun kings, who defeated the Eastern Expeditionary Army and were once so renowned, have scattered overnight. What a pity!"

"What happened to Chu Feng?"

"It is rumored that his condition is even worse than the others!"

Of course, there were also those who smiled, delighted to see such events unfold.

Recently rising masters, new kings who had broken free from six shackles, felt no sympathy for the decline of the older kings. They rose with the tide.

"Metabolism, the inherent law of all things. Those who decline must pass away; survival of the fittest, the strong will ultimately rise."

A newly emerged top-tier king spoke with clear implication; it was too obvious for anyone to misunderstand. His mindset was clear.

"What a pity," said a newly rising young human king who practiced Bajiquan. "I still wanted to ascend Kunlun, seek their guidance, and spar with Chu Feng."

The newly emerged top-tier kings were full of vigor and confidence. They felt they could advance further, because the energy on various famous mountains was becoming denser day by day. When the sacred ancient trees bloomed and bore fruit again, it might enable them to break the seventh shackle.

Furthermore, on various famous mountains, some entirely new regions, where mist was gradually dissipating, were also about to fully emerge.

It was obvious that once these areas could be entered, stronger cultivators of a higher level would surely emerge in response to the times!

The sea race was naturally restless. Large numbers of them landed and walked on the land. However, after heeding divine revelations, they did not cause bloodshed or slaughter.

The major financial groups had also significantly increased their strength. For them, this was a rare opportunity; they quietly awaited the sacred ancient trees between heaven and earth to bloom and bear fruit.

"Heh, Chu Feng is finally quiet. I hope he can live out his days peacefully."

These were the words spoken by someone from a certain financial group. Although it seemed to represent only himself, it actually indicated the attitude of some financial groups.

Chu Feng was still young, yet to say he would live out his days peacefully was a form of mockery.

In the end, no one dared to act rashly, as no one could be certain whether Chu Feng could still launch a so-called "final battle."

Not long ago, he had severely messed with the sea race.

However, all factions had a premonition that perhaps something truly had happened to Chu Feng this time, and it was no longer a disguise or an empty threat.

During this period, people continuously visited Wudang Mountain. The visitors were all very polite, and no one dared to cause trouble; they all came to see Chu Feng.

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, the tenth day arrived. This was the critical moment for Chu Feng's potential recovery. This day had finally come.